Chapter 35 The Lifetime of a Grasshopper (Takashi Kato's Fate) Part Two
Kanae and Tadayuki started dating.
Perhaps from Kanae's perspective, there was a sense of showing off to Takashi. However, their relationship appeared very close and refreshing because of it. While the two got along well, Yoshino seemed to watch them with a tinge of loneliness. Perhaps the only one who noticed that might have been him.
"This is my chance," Takashi thought. Above all, he didn't want to make her feel lonely. He contemplated filling that void himself. After school, he called her out and asked directly,
"Hey, Yoshino-san, do you like Tadayuki?"
To Takashi's question, Yoshino Misa responded with a lonely expression, "Huh? It's not like, liking or anything like that..."
"Sure, sure, I totally get it. But you know, Tadayuki might be impossible, right? He's been devoted to Kanae since childhood."
"..."
Her indifferent attitude irritated me a bit.
"I seriously like you, Yoshino-san. Be my girlfriend."
"Eh..."
It must have been an unexpected statement. The expression on Misa's face clearly said, 'Huh? What's this guy talking about?' Feeling unnoticed as a man, the loneliness and growing frustration. The strong urgency of being rejected.
──I've... been with women before, screw women...!
Impulsively, I hugged Misa.
"Hey, stop it!"
"Please...be my girlfriend."
"Wait a minute...seriously...stop!"
I was pushed away by Misa, unable to chase after her. Faced with strong rejection, he couldn't muster the will to pursue.
He stood there for a while...
But then, he sensed someone approaching.
"What's up, Kato-kun? Is that kind of girl your type?"
"Mizuno..."
Classmate Mizuno Shoko. It seems like she witnessed the whole thing.
"I unintentionally took a photo, look at this."
It's a photo of Takashi and Misa. Moreover, Misa, who is trying to break free from Takashi, seems to be trying to grab the back of his clothes, making it look like they are hugging.
"Ah, well, what do you say? It might be interesting to tease someone like that serious-looking type..."
While saying this, he's frustrated with his embarrassed self. Yeah, he likes that girl, but he can't bring himself to say it. It's about maintaining an image of not wanting to be seen as a guy who gets rejected.
"Oh, that's a good idea! Let's tease her even more."
"What do you mean?"
"That girl, she definitely likes Higashimura-kun, right? Then let's send this photo to Higashimura-kun! Isn't that interesting!?"
"Oh, that's a good idea! I'm counting on you!"
He also need to subtly include Tadayuki in this. That night, he went to Tadayuki's house.
"Hey, I got a message from Mizuno-san..."
"Oh, about that. I, uh, kinda like Yoshino-san..."
"Huh, seriously? Since when?"
"Well, actually... since middle school. Remember when I asked about Yoshino-san during our first year, at that whole-school assembly?"
"Oh yeah, vaguely remember something like that."
"Yeah, been interested since then."
"Wow, really? Kinda surprising."
"So, well, it's sorta like we're dating, but Yoshino-san's shy, doesn't wanna make it public in front of everyone."
"Yeah, I get that vibe, mm-hmm."
"So, sorry to ask, but... Tadayuki knows we're dating, maybe you could say something nice about me? Seems like Yoshino-san's a bit anxious about dating me."
"Why?"
"Well, you know, I'm somewhat popular."
"Yeah, that's your thing... Well, not sure if I'll get a chance, but sure."
"Seriously, please?"
"Got it. We're... friends, right?"
Takashi felt something strange about Tadayuki's words.
A friend.
Is that what it is?
After having do it with Kanae, he still tries to take advantage of Yoshino Misa because he wants to go out with her.
The intense jealousy toward this guy because Yoshino Misa's feelings are directed at him—does that truly make him a friend of Tadayuki?
But simultaneously, he contemplates.
He feels like he's forgetting something.
For some unknown reason, there's something like an obsession, a feeling that he 'must be friends with this guy.'
Therefore, in response to Tadayuki's words, he emphasized.
"More than just friends, we're best friends, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Tadayuki chuckled.
Relieved that it wasn't that smile, Takashi let out a sigh of relief.
Whether due to persistent pursuit or Tadayuki's words, he ended up dating Yoshino Misa.
Yet, even then, he felt her emotions directed at Tadayuki.
Thus, he became impatient.
He never thought he'd follow through on his own words.
No, it ended up becoming a reality.
Until just before, he really didn't think there was anyone who would say such a thing. He thought it was just fiction. He never thought he would say it himself.
"Just the tip."
In the end, it really was just the tip. No, it wasn't just the tip. He has seen it in a basketball manga.
"Just rest your left hand."
And so, the first act with Misa - the first and last act was exactly for Takashi.
"Just resting the tip."
No,
"I just rested the tip."
Years of longing, heightened by Misa's strong rejection, ended easily, and he was pushed away.
However, Misa became pregnant. Her parents, concerned about appearances, pushed for Takashi and Misa's marriage.
Their first son, Junji, was born. Takashi tried to become a husband to Misa and thought about holding her somehow. He wanted to stick to it firmly, and he kept thinking that. But it didn't work out.
Misa did her best to avoid being alone with Takashi, and even a simple touch would make her stiffen.
"I-I'm sorry, because we're married, I feel like we should, you know, do that kind of thing, but..."
"No, it's my fault, sorry..."
Truth be told, they haven't even kissed yet.
Because of his hasty actions, she completely rejected him. In public, Misa plays the role of a good wife. She supports him and never neglects her household duties.
From an outsider's perspective, they seem like a happy couple. However, the reality is that they are a young, s*xless, pretend couple. Frustrated with unfulfilled desires, he was getting irritated. Moreover...
"Are you still studying?"
"Yeah, this helps me relax."
During her free time, Misa studied with a reference book in hand. This was one of the factors that annoyed Takashi.
It felt like he was being blamed for it, and in reality, he was.
"Don't stay up too late; it's not good for you."
"Yeah."
Trying his best to use gentle words, he tries to open her heart as much as possible, but it doesn't go well. So...
...
It might help to distract a little.
With that in mind, he began to take an interest in pets.
The topic of getting a pet also came up in the Kato family.
As he researched what would be good, he came across a mouse called "Degu" from the Andes.
Although there are individual differences, it seems to be very friendly to humans.
It doesn't smell much, and it seems to be easy to keep for a small animal and lives a long life compared to others.
He reads the precautions for keeping them.
As a key point in keeping small animals, first, dissolve their caution.
If you try to make them accustomed too quickly after starting to keep them, it may give them fear instead.
Once you give them fear, it becomes more difficult for them to get used to normalcy, and in some cases, it may become impossible.
...I shouldn't have visited such a site.
Takashi thought and closed the browser.
In the end, the matter of keeping a pet was put on hold.
...
...
Tadayuki, who had advanced to Tokyo for his studies, returned home and visited.
While the two were chatting nonsense, Misa prepared tea for them.
"Ah, thank you, Yoshino-san... or is it different? But Kato-san seems different too... Is it okay if I call you Misa-chan?"
"Um, yeah. It's easier to understand and I think it's fine."
It was a small change, but Takashi noticed. His wife, happy to be called 'Misa-chan' by another man. He couldn't bear it.
That day, Takashi contacted Kanae.
Hello, we have a new project about someone who has returned from an isekai. The main character is a hero who has defeated the Demon Lord. However, for some reason, the human-demon war has resumed and will take place in the MC's original world. The MC, unaware of this, meets a Saint from that world and asks them to join the war. But what does the MC say? They refuse. Is it because their love was rejected by the princess when they adventured together in the past or are they simply fed up? And are the MC will join later? You can find out by clicking on the following => [Link]
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